A Family Emergency
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: <html><head></head>The Rangers are not allowed to contact their families lest they put them in danger.  Unfortunately circumstances force Mentor Ji to make an exception.</html>
1. A Family Emergency

**Legal: **I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, places etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating:** T

**Timeline:** Somewhere between "Jayden's Challenge" and the new episode which will be airing this weekend.

The Rangers were in the training yard of the Shiba House, working hard on their technique. Jayden didn't want to push them so hard, but lately things had been escalating a lot more quickly than they had anticipated. Master Xandred, the Lord of the Nighlocks, had now figured out that the seal trapping him in the Netherworld was tied to the Shiba bloodline, meaning that now he had refocused his efforts. Now instead of simply sending forces against the Samurai in general, he was sending them after Jayden in particular.

While the war had never been expected to be easy, or lacking in danger, now it was different. He had tried initially to distance himself from the others, not wanting to put them in danger to protect him, but now he realised that wasn't an option. Not only were they his friends, willing to throw themselves in harms' way without any thought for themselves out of loyalty and camaraderie, they also took their responsibility to their duty seriously. They would protect him whether he wanted them to or not.

However, he also knew that they would not be safe, even if he turned them away. Master Xandred knew who they were, and he knew that they cared for him, and he cared for them in return. He would likely target them, trying to get to him through his friends whether they were a team or not. In the end, he had learned his lesson on that front. Splitting up would only serve to put them all in more danger. They were stronger together than they were apart.

The situation had also been complicated by the arrival of Dekker, The Cursed Warrior. He didn't know his story, beyond the few scattered legends he had heard about Urumasa and the bloody path it had carved through history.

In the short time he had been in the picture, he had shown himself to be a dangerous, and driven, even obsessive opponent. He had intervened in their battle with Dayu, saving her from destruction at his hands, a move he still didn't understand. He had told them himself that he had no interest in Xandred's war. All he wanted was to face him in a duel. He didn't know exactly why he would go out of his way to save a Nighlock, one of Xandred's closest generals no less.

They were yet to confirm it, but he had to believe that once Dekker had interjected himself into the battle, saving him from a Nighlock to preserve him for their own duel that Xandred would be far from happy. It was not in his best interest to save anyone that Xandred may end up sending against him. He had to know that while they started out aligned, sooner or later their agendas would oppose each other. It made his decision to protect Dayu all the more baffling.

He had also shown that his obsession with Jayden was enough to cause him to attack those close to them. He had already kidnapped Emily, and he had fought Cam and Mike. He had even targeted Spike, a kid whose only connection to the Rangers was a chance meeting and an adolescent fantasy that had inadvertently caused Dekker to believe he was connected to them. They needed to be ready for anything at any time. Between Dekker and Xandred, the forces arranged before them were amassing in power, and he had to admit that while so far they had succeeded, increasing their own symbol power, and even recovering three of the lost Zords, at times it seemed like they were still a step behind in terms of progress. The monsters grew stronger each time they came, and it was only a matter of time before Dekker would manoeuvre Jayden into the duel he sought so desperately.

He watched the others working on their techniques, and smiled as he saw them improving. Mike was getting better with a sword every day. His technique was still somewhat ugly, and lacking in the refinement of Emily's or Mia's, but he had to admit that it was effective. While he wasn't doing everything exactly right on a technical level, sometimes his natural form and bizarre technique would lead to positive results. Sometimes the problem with technique was that since it was practiced, it was predictable. People were trained in the same forms, the same stances. That meant they could recognise them in their opponents.

Mia had improved greatly ever since she got together with Kevin. While initially he worried that their relationship would make it harder for them to concentrate if they took lessons together, if anything it seemed to motivate her, like she was working to impress him and become an equal in his eyes. He had seen her do things in the last week alone that she had never even attempted before she got together with Kevin. Her confidence in her worth and value to the team had also increased. She had only doubted her worth to take up the Beetle Disk because she didn't think she was worthy of it. Now, he had to wonder if things would have gone differently if that incident had occurred now, only a couple of weeks later.

Kevin had taken something of a leaf out of Mike's book, pardoning the pun. Since his duel with Jayden, and the time he had been wounded in a training bout with Mia because he wasn't concentrating, he had started to take to heart the criticism that he placed far too much faith and emphasis on technique and form, becoming too predictable. He was training with Mike whenever he had the opportunity, finding the value in unexpected manoeuvres. He had even found value in both Mia and Emily's differing styles.

Emily was the real enigma. She had a lot weighing on her right now. The others had all finished their education, and they were all the first choice, in some cases the only choice for their responsibility as Samurai. They all had a lot weighing on them right now, but it was different for her. She had never expected to be part of any of this. That was always Serena's destiny.

Dekker was watching from a little way off, studying the form of the Rangers, and smiled to himself. He too could see their improvement. In time, most of them could become a potential test to Urumasa. He was there to keep an eye on things. He knew that his time was coming, that soon he would have an opportunity to face the Red Ranger. He was still reeling from his humiliation at being fooled by the fake pictures he had seen on that device. In some ways, he had enjoyed meeting Spike and Bulk. In another time, and in another place, he had a feeling they could even be friends.

He watched as someone approached the gate of the Shiba House. While he was still occasionally struggling with modern practices, he had noticed these men before. Their uniforms marked them as some form of messenger, and they seemed to come around most days, like the professional messengers that existed in his home back before he took up the curse of immortality. This time seemed different though, unlike what usually happened, when they would leave the mail at the door and leave, this time the man went in. Dekker watched more closely as Mentor Ji held up a hand, calling the Rangers to stop what they were doing.

The mailman looked around at the young people in the yard, carrying practice swords as he made his way to Mentor Ji.

"I have a special delivery." He told him, wondering exactly what he had walked into. From the outside, it was an unusual house, but inside, it looked like some form of dojo. He showed the docket to Mentor Ji who just read it as the man fetched out an envelope.

"Emily." He called out, gesturing to the Yellow Ranger, waving her over. She came across a little curiously. She couldn't imagine who would be sending her something via special delivery. She signed the docket, taking the envelope from the mail man, and tore it open.

"What is it Em?" Mike asked her, noticing that she suddenly became very quiet. Her eyes were beginning to sparkle as she read the letter.

"Emily?" Mentor Ji asked her. She didn't say another word, just pushing her way past her friends and rushing inside. Mike and the others filed in after her. Dekker watched on in interest, wondering what this could mean. Whatever the message was, it was clearly something that affected the Yellow Ranger deeply.

In the Netherworld, Master Xandred was taking more of his medicine, while Dayu soothed him with music from her Harmonium, while Octoroo checked up the archives. He was growing impatient with the way things were progressing. The Rangers were getting stronger, and yet he was still sealed down here in the accursed Netherworld, where his rage would only cause him constant pain.

To make things worse, Dekker had disappeared since the last time he had faced him. He now knew The Cursed Warrior was pursuing his own agenda, and now it seemed that was placing him in opposition to his own plans. He had already interfered once in his affairs; breaking up a battle it seemed likely was going to result in his victory over the Samurai Rangers once and for all.

Since he had confronted Dekker though, he had disappeared. Being half-human, he could move between the Netherworld and the Human World without restriction. He could hide beyond Master Xandred's reach indefinitely. Unless he could destroy the seal, he would be sealed in the Netherworld forever.

He looked to Octoroo, wondering if there was something he was working on that could help.

"What news do you have of Dekker?" Master Xandred asked him as he approached his tactical advisor.

"Dekker? Aren't you after the Red Ranger?" He asked. Xandred just growled, showing his disapproval. He did not appreciate being questioned.

"That treacherous half-human scum has dared to defy me!" He roared in his rage, kicking a support beam, causing the ship to rock dangerously, throwing his advisors around ominously. "The last Cursed Warrior knew his place."

"We haven't found any sign of him in some time." Octoroo told him. "We've been searching, but he is slippery."

"He is a coward!" Xandred snapped, grabbing more medicine, quaffing it in large quantities. "I want him eliminated!"

"We'll do what we can." Octoroo assured him, bowing as he went back to his books.

Mike, Mia, Kevin and Jayden were sitting in the Living Room, having been waiting there while Mentor Ji went to talk to Emily. She had locked herself in her room ever since she had received it. They were all starting to get a little worried about her. The door sounded, causing them all to look around.

"I wonder what that is." Jayden commented. He went to the door, opening it to find a courier standing there. He just looked at him a little confused.

"Can I help you?" Jayden asked him.

"I'm here to collect a message." He told him. Just then, Jayden felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned, seeing Mentor Ji behind him. He handed the courier a letter, and some money.

"Take this with all speed." He told him in a serious tone. He closed the door, heading back through to the Living Room. Emily joined them, as silent as she had been since she got the letter. Mike sat with her, putting his arm around her to comfort her.

"What's wrong Mentor?" Jayden asked him.

"Emily must leave us for a short time." He told them. Mike and Mia looked to the Yellow Ranger, whose eyes were still red and puffy from her tears. She looked around the room as they all stared at her.

"I recognised the handwriting on the envelope." She began. "The letter was from my mom."

"Your mom?" Kevin asked her. He knew that Emily missed her home dreadfully, and that she more than the others had a hard time dealing with being away from home. While the others missed their families, they knew that they would likely see them again eventually. Emily though had to leave while her sister was critically ill. They all knew the strict rules against contacting their homes, so it was clear that if Emily's parents had contacted her, then it had to be important news.

"Is it about Serena?" Mia asked her. She knew how close Emily was to her sister. She talked about her a lot. She knew how much she looked up to Serena and idolised her. Emily just nodded her head as she looked back to them.

"She's getting worse." Emily told them. "Mom wrote to tell me the doctors have examined her and run some more tests."

She sobbed a little as Mia and Mike held her.

"They don't think she has long left." She explained. Mentor Ji rested a hand on her shoulder sympathetically as he looked to the others.

"She is going home to see her." He said. They all knew what he meant by that. Their responsibility was so important that they were forbidden from even writing or calling home. They would only be allowing her to go home for one reason. She was going to say goodbye.

"I'm sorry." She told them. "I want to stay, really I do..."

"We understand Emily, this is your family." Jayden assured her. Of all the others, he understood the most what she was going through. He never got the chance to say goodbye to his father. He had died suddenly in battle, leaving Mentor Ji to raise him. "You'll be back when the time is right."

"Kevin, help me prepare the truck for her journey." Mentor Ji told him. "We will be leaving after dinner."

Meanwhile, on the road out of town, the courier was carrying Mentor Ji's message out of town. Emily's family was a long way from the city, and he had been paid handsomely, well above the odds by Mentor Ji for taking a delivery out with normal business hours to ensure the letter got there tonight.

As he headed onto the freeway, he found himself behind a big rig. He looked at it curiously as he noticed a red glow starting to emanate from between the cab and the trailer. At first, he wondered if there was a mechanical fault, but then his thoughts strayed to another thought. Perhaps it was a fire. Either way, it didn't bode well.

He honked his horn, hoping to attract the drivers' attention. Just as he was about to try and pull alongside to indicate the need to pull over, he saw something that freaked him out. A mysterious white figure with a blazing red skull climbed onto the roof of the trailer. He held a glowing sword in his hand. The courier watched as he leapt from the trailer, landing on the hood of his car. He ducked as The Cursed Warrior swung Urumasa with all his might, slicing the roof from the car, sending it spinning across the freeway and showering the area with glass.

The courier swerved harshly, trying in vain to regain control before smashing through the guard rail into a ditch. Dekker leapt off the car before impact, landing close to the site of the crash. The bloody and bruised courier started to fumble with the seatbelt, unable to release himself as Dekker approached. He sliced him out of his seat, grabbing the terrified man and hauling him from the vehicle.

"You have a message." Dekker announced. "I want it!"

The man reached inside his coat, taking the envelope and presented it to The Cursed Warrior. Dekker threw him to the ground, before snatching the envelope from his hands. He powered up Urumasa, casting an energy wave in the direction of the car, destroying it in a massive explosion.

"Go with your life! You have served your purpose!" He announced. The courier struggled back to his feet, hobbling away as quickly as he could, not needing a second invitation to take the opportunity to leave. Dekker turned his attention to the envelope and opened it, reading the letter inside. He turned back into his human form and smiled.

"The Yellow Ranger's family is expecting this message." He said to himself. "Perhaps I should see that it gets there."


	2. Emily's Homecoming

Many miles from the city, the sun was beginning to go down over the fields. A woman was in the kitchen, preparing a meal in silence. The house had been a much happier place once, but now that was giving way to despair.

Emily's mother hated to feel so helpless. She could remember a time when she had felt so much stronger. Back when she was a Samurai Ranger, facing Master Xandred along with the other Samurai, things were so much simpler and more straightforward. She had trained her whole life in the use of her symbol power, and the way of the sword. Whenever something came into the world from the depths of the Netherworld, she and her team mates would know exactly what to do, and they would destroy anything that threatened them, the world or their families.

Now though, she faced a foe that couldn't be defeated, no matter how strong she was. It had been many years since she had passed on the Samuraizer, but she would gladly take any threat, any opponent she could face. Her daughter Serena had fallen seriously ill, and the disease ravaging her system had weakened her to the point that she was no longer able to even leave her bed. Emily's mother didn't even notice as her husband came in from the barn.

"How is she?" He asked his wife.

"She's resting." She told him sadly. It pained them to see her so weak. At one time, they had expected Serena to inherit her mother's Samuraizer, and take her place as the Yellow Samurai Ranger. While they knew all too well how much danger she would be in once that happened, they were also so proud on the day that they presented her with the Ape Folding Zord, and saw it reacting to her touch, acknowledging her as its new mistress.

She had been ill for so long, they could barely remember what it was like to see her healthy. She had been confined to bed for months now, and things had only gotten worse. The doctors had tried everything, but the disease attacking her lungs was aggressive, and had evaded all of their attempts to heal her. Now, they had oxygen tanks in case she had problems breathing. They had sent their youngest daughter, Emily away many months ago when it became clear that Serena was unlikely to recover. They knew they shouldn't contact her, but they had to ask her to come home. As of his last visit, the doctor had told them that Serena wouldn't last much longer. They expected her to pass any day now.

She turned her attention back to the soup on the stove, and her husband just put his arms around her. He knew she had taken it hard that she couldn't do anything to help their daughter. He wasn't a Samurai himself, and he knew there were always going to be things he would never understand about that part of his wife's world, but he had seen her perform what could only be described as miracles. Her Earth Symbol Power had been invaluable during harvest season, especially in some of the farm's lean years. She was reluctant to do so, since she had explained that strictly speaking they were forbidden from using their powers for personal gain. In some ways, he thought she might be blaming herself, believing that Serena's illness was some kind of punishment for a few abuses of her symbol power in the early days.

He heard the doorbell, and patted her on the shoulder.

"I'll get it." He told her. "It's probably just Ji's messenger."

He went to the door, and opened it, finding a man standing there. He had long, dark hair and dark stubble. He was wearing a long, white robe, and carrying a white sword. He would have thought this was odd had he not lived with three Samurai for years. He presumed this must be Mentor Ji's messenger.

"You must be the messenger." He greeted the stranger. Dekker reached inside his cloak, producing the message.

"Mentor Ji sent this." He told Emily's father. He stood aside, inviting Dekker inside as he started to read the letter. "Honey, Mentor Ji sent us word that Emily's coming home. She'll be here later tonight."

"I'll go get her room..." Emily's mother's words tailed off as she saw Dekker. While she had never seen him before, she knew that something was off. Mentor Ji had many agents and contacts. Most of them were civilian informants and agents who would perform small, but important tasks like setting up Gap Sensors or updating him on events and information from within the city. She had sent a message to his home, but she had done it with a standard courier service. She had presumed he would do the same, aiming not to draw attention to the messenger and risking the message being intercepted. She started to edge slowly towards a sideboard, her hand reaching behind it to where she had a katana hidden. "Who are you?"

"I am the messenger." He replied. Emily's mother seemed a little dubious.

"Mentor Ji always had a code. I would ask a security question." She told him. "When I first came to the Shiba House, I gave Mentor Ji a gift. What was it?"

"A Bonsai." He replied. She whipped out the katana, taking up a guard.

"Step aside!" She rushed out to her husband. He knew better than to question his wife on such matters. "I didn't give him a gift! I don't know who you are, but you are leaving my house right now!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." Dekker replied as he turned into his Nighlock form, pulling out Urumasa. "I came to visit your daughter."

"Serena?" She asked, her eyes instinctively flashing in the direction of her daughter's bedroom door. Dekker just laughed.

"Thank you." He stated. "That will save me searching for her."

On the freeway, Kevin was driving the truck taking Emily home. She was sitting up front in the shotgun position, clutching a small bag on her lap. It had been a long time since she had been home, but she could feel no joy as Kevin brought her closer. Not when she knew she was going back to say goodbye to Serena, and possibly to watch her die. The letter didn't say too much, but from the way her mother spoke of her condition, she understood that they expected her not to live too much longer, perhaps only a few more days.

Kevin found it unbearably quiet in the car. It was completely unlike Emily. Even when she wasn't going home, she had a habit of breaking up long car journeys with constant chatter. He had heard the "Are we there yet" whine so many times, that although it irritated him at first, he now found that he missed it, and the journey just seemed so much longer without it.

"Do you want to put on some music or something?" He asked her. Emily shook her head, but still didn't answer. He could see the look in her eyes, and understood the fear, anxiety and pain that plagued her. She wasn't going home for a visit, she wasn't going home to spend time with her parents or have a nice holiday dinner, she was going to see her sister for the last time. "You know, I've never been out to the country before."

She just nodded, again not answering him. He breathed a sigh as he tried to get her to open up. He wished Mike or Mia were there. Mia had shared a room with her, and Mike was her boyfriend. She would be less likely to keep everything to herself in such an unhealthy way with them. Mentor Ji had determined that it was unwise to send all the Rangers on the journey, but given the emotional state Emily was in, he thought it would be unwise to let her drive herself. He had sent Kevin because aside from Jayden, he was the strongest of the Rangers. They needed to keep Jayden close, where they could protect him, and Mentor Ji hated to say it, but he couldn't write off the possibility that someone may target any Rangers sent out on their own. He looked to the signs on the side of the freeway.

"Is it the next turn?" He asked her, hoping that an open question, one she had to answer with words would start the ball rolling on an actual conversation.

"No." She replied. "It's a couple of exits down. Just past the Newton's Rib Shack."

"But...the sign says that's past the town..."

"It's a farming community." She reminded him. "When you and your neighbours all have about twenty acres of land, the term 'town' is a little relative. Most of the farms are beyond the town limits."

"Twenty acres?" He asked her. "Wow that sounds pretty big."

"It took about an hour to walk to school." She told him. "The Rib Shack's about twenty minutes up the road. You're looking for a dirt track a couple of miles beyond that."

"It's at times like this I wish Mentor would spring for a Tom Tom." He said with a weak laugh. Emily didn't laugh, he didn't expect her to under the circumstances, but he could swear he saw the edges of her mouth twitch upwards slightly. "So, is that rib shack any good?"

"Not as good as my mom's cooking." She told him. He just nodded as he turned his attention back to the road signs, looking for the turn.

In the woods outside of town, Dekker appeared from a gap, bathed in a red glow, carrying a large bundle rolled up in a blanket. He laid it down gently on the ground, before taking a look around, checking to see if anyone was around. Satisfying himself that he was alone, he grabbed some rocks and started to create a fire-pit. It didn't take him long, the day had been dry, and there was plenty of kindling to make himself a fire. Igniting it with a flint and the edge of Urumasa, he nurtured the flame, bringing it up to a respectable size. He looked around as the blanket roll started to elicit a small, weak moaning sound.

He made his way over, and unwrapped it a little, looking down on the young woman's face as she stirred a little. She was blonde, and incredibly pale, betraying her weakness. She looked barely able to open her eyes, and thoroughly confused. She looked up, seeing the man standing over her.

"Where am I?" She asked him. "Who are you?"

"My name is Dekker." He told her, looking down on her. "Though you may have heard of me by another name."

"Where am I?" She asked him, seeing trees all around her. She hadn't been allowed to leave her bed now in...well, so long she couldn't actually tell. Days and nights had very little meaning when she was so weak that periods of sleep lasting over 12 hours were common. She would occasionally just drift off, only to find herself waking up the following day.

"You are safe." Dekker told her, beginning to look out some supplies. Knowing that his hostage was weak, he had taken the precaution of taking some food and cooking supplies with him. He doubted she would be strong enough to eat rabbit or venison. "For how long depends on your sister."

"Emily!" She shrieked, sitting up a little, before the pain in her chest forced her back down, and she started coughing harshly. Dekker looked to her, coming over and easing her down.

"Try to relax." He told her. "I will not harm you."

"In case you didn't realise, I'm pretty sick." She said, spluttering a little as Dekker wrapped her up for warmth. "This isn't helping."

"I shall prepare you something that should help with the pain." He assured her.

"What do you want with Emily?" She asked him.

"It isn't exactly her I want." He answered her as he set up a pot and started to put ingredients into it for a herbal remedy. "It is the Red Samurai I really want. I have noticed that they have a habit of coming after those they care about."

"Look, I'm not being dramatic, I'm really not well." Serena begged him. "I probably won't be around much longer. I'm no good to you dead. Please, take me back..."

"I'm afraid that isn't an option." Dekker cut her off. He drew Urumasa, looking at it as the blade glowed brightly. "Once your sister tells the Red Samurai of your plight, I will have my duel, and Urumasa will be satisfied."

"Urumasa?" She asked him. "You're The Cursed Warrior?"

"Preserve your strength." He told her. "If all goes well, you will not be here long."

Meanwhile, the truck was making its way up a long dirt track as darkness fell over the land. Kevin had never seen anything like this. He was a city boy, born and bred. He followed the track, which eventually opened out into a courtyard. The farm itself was only a small, wooden cottage, with fences extending out from it, separating it out into fields. There was a little red pickup a little way off, outside a barn. Kevin pulled up and found a place to stop, killing the engine and getting out.

"Is this the place?" He asked Emily. She nodded. "It looks really nice. I can see why you missed it."

"Something's wrong." Emily told him. "Listen."

Kevin listened, wondering what she was listening for. He wasn't really sure what the sounds of the countryside were meant to sound like.

"I don't..." He tailed off as Emily ran towards the house, her Spin Sword at the ready. "Emily..."

"The horses are spooked!" She explained, gesturing to the barn. "Something's wrong!"

She burst into the cottage, her sword at the ready and looked around frantically. There was a slight layer of gray smoke from the kitchen. Kevin came in, his own Spin Sword at the ready, and smelled burning food. Emily looked down, seeing her father lying on the floor, his shirt stained with blood and his shotgun lying not far from him. Buckshot in the wall showed it had been fired.

"Dad!" She shrieked, running over and dropping her sword. She helped him sit up, finding him wounded by a large cut to the arm, which was bleeding heavily. He looked up to her.

"Emily." He managed to force out. Kevin rushed past them into the kitchen, turning off the cooker. Left unattended, the food was burning, and the last thing they needed was to risk a fire, something that looked not to be that far off. Emily took off her dad's belt and used it as a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.

"Dad, where's mom?" She asked him. He just pointed to Serena's room. Emily rushed in, finding her mom unconscious, her katana lying in pieces scattered on the floor. She was also badly injured, and the room showed the signs of a fierce fight. Kevin came in, having found a first aid kit.

"I'll call an ambulance." He told her. "They need a hospital."

Emily didn't answer though; he saw that she was just looking at an empty bed in the middle of the room. The rumpled covers indicated that it had not been vacated long ago. As Emily approached, she saw that lying on the bed was a scroll, tied with a red ribbon, lying next to Serena's flute, which had been snapped in half.

Untying the ribbon, she unfurled the scroll and began reading it. Kevin came over to her, holding her as her knees weakened, and she almost collapsed at the news within.

"It was Dekker." Emily told him. "He has Serena."


	3. The Cursed Warrior's Hospitality

In the woods outside of town, Serena was sitting in the campsite, starting to unravel her blankets as her captor's attention was directed to the campfire. She knew she was no match for him, she had seen him take down her mother, the last Yellow Samurai Ranger, with relative ease. Even healthy she wasn't sure how much of a match she would be for him, but with her illness, she was far too weak to even lift a sword, much less use one to defeat an opponent of his calibre.

She started to haul herself to her feet as quietly as she could, hoping not to disturb him as he concentrated on the food he was preparing. She kept her eyes on him as she started to move her way around, but her legs just wouldn't hold her. Between her illness and her long period of time confined to her bed, she was shaky on her legs and they simply collapsed beneath her, causing her to fall. Dekker looked around, seeing her on the ground, coughing in another fit. He came across, helping her back to her blankets and wrapping her up.

"I did not bind you because I didn't believe you were strong enough to escape." He told her.

"It seems you're right." She spluttered as he eased her up into a seated position, hoping to ease her breathing. He went to the campfire and pulled out a pot, pouring the contents into a cup and handed it to her. "Here, this will ease your pain, and it should help you breathe more easily."

Serena was far too weak to argue, and just took the cup, taking a drink. She had to admit that the warm sensation of the herbal mixture was far from pleasant tasting, but it did seem to make her feel a little better. It soothed her raw throat, and her chest felt a little lighter. She looked to him as he went back to the fire to concentrate on some food.

"I don't understand you." She told him.

"What do you not understand?" He asked her in response. "You don't know why I took you?"

"No, I get that." She clarified as she took another sip. "Its just...why are you taking care of me?"

"I have no wish to see harm done to you." He answered. He looked to her as he stirred the contents of the pot. "I can sense the power within you. It is incredible. I feel that you would have been a powerful foe."

He turned back to the pot, looking into it.

"Perhaps you would even have been a worthy challenge for Urumasa." He suggested.

"Thanks...I think." She answered him.

"It is a shame you have been felled by this blight." He told her as he examined the pot once more, watching it bubbling away. "It is tragic to see such power quashed by unseen forces."

"Why are you so intent on fighting?" She asked him.

"Urumasa's hunger drives me." He answered her honestly, taking the pot out of the fire and pouring it into a cup. He came over, handing it to her. "I am sorry, if it is heated incorrectly. I am unfamiliar with this pre-prepared modern food."

She took it from him, taking a sip. It was cream of tomato soup, one of her favourites. She nodded.

"It's fine." She told him. "I appreciate the effort."

"Just because we are on opposite sides of a conflict does not prohibit basic hospitality." He told her, before going back to the fire to prepare his own food, as his mind drifted back to his past.

His cloak whipped around him in the bitter wind as he scaled the jagged rocks of the mountain. It had been a long time since Dekker had even spoken to another person; so long he wasn't sure he still could, but his quest was everything. It had been three long years since he had turned his back to his father's house for the last time and gone in search of glory and honour in his own way.

His father wouldn't even notice he was gone. He had made no secret of the fact that Dekker was the least of his children. He never hoped to be as good in his eyes as Yarrick, but he always hoped that one day, his father would at least acknowledge him with the respect he did his other sons. In the end though, it was obvious that wouldn't happen without some form of legendary display. He needed to do something no one else could. He had been raised on the legends of his people, and was more than aware of the legend of The Cursed Warrior.

For years now, he had been chasing whispers and rumours. He had gone from town to town, country to country, and never stopped, always moving on in pursuit of his goal. All that time he had been chasing the same thing, the legend, the feared traveller. Everywhere he went he heard the same thing. A man came, he fought the strongest warrior, and he left without a word, leaving another corpse in his wake. While he knew all cultures had such legends, he had been following for so long, he was sure he was on the right path.

A ledge gave way beneath his feet, and he slipped, coming to rest as he caught a jagged edge with one hand. He looked down, seeing that he was now dangling hundreds of feet over solid rock. The fall was certain death, but he didn't care. It would still be preferable to going back home without achieving his goal.

As he threw a hand up, he pulled it back, almost falling as the tip of a spear rammed into the ground. Dekker couldn't help looking up at the man, and marvelled at what he saw.

He was tall, taller than any man Dekker had ever met, and built as solidly as the mountain he was currently hanging from. He was glistening in the limited light in armour made from bronze on his shins, chest, arms and his helmet. His helm was topped with a crimson plume running down the middle of it. He was holding a shield that looked like it had to weigh over a hundred pounds in pure bronze, and he was carrying a spear which captured his attention.

It was taller than the warrior, and white in colour, but with a red serrated pattern wrapping around it. The tip was red, and glowed with an ominous light. The warrior threw his shield aside, and offered Dekker a hand.

"You have been pursuing me for almost a year." He commented. "Most sane men would have given up by now."

"Who says I am sane?" Dekker asked him semi-seriously. The warrior took his hand and hauled him up onto the plateau. Dekker looked over him, and something inside him spoke to him, letting him know that his long search was finally over.

"I have travelled the world to satisfy Urumasa's hunger." The Cursed Warrior told him. "In all those years, not once has anyone sought me out. Why do you follow me?"

"I seek to defeat you in an honourable duel." Dekker replied honestly, realising the situation he was in. He was hungry and he was exhausted from the climb. He was barely able to stand, much less to fight. The Cursed Warrior pulled off his helmet, revealing thick, dark hair and emerald green eyes. He just sniggered.

"It would be a pointless battle." He replied, ramming the spear into the rock. He gestured to the campfire a little way off. "Perhaps you will be a greater challenge in the morning. I have no interest in slaying you while you are weak. Come, warm yourself by the fire. Rest and eat. We can discuss this again in the morning."

Dekker just nodded, accepting the invitation. He didn't know why he knew, but something spoke to him, letting him know that The Cursed Warrior was sincere in his invitation. Nothing would befall him this night if he accepted his offer of hospitality, and right now, he was in no state to refuse.

The night wore on as the two men sat, eating silently. Dekker's eyes kept straying to the spear.

"I always heard that Urumasa was a sword." Dekker stated, pointing to the spear, breaking the silence.

"It has taken many forms." The Cursed Warrior informed him. "It takes on the form most suitable to its current master. I was born a son of Sparta; as such it presents itself to me as a spear."

"Sparta?" Dekker asked him. He had heard of the Spartans. Who hadn't? While his homeland was far from Greece, their military history was legendary. "But...I thought..."

"You believed that Urumasa was a legend of your homeland?" The Cursed Warrior asked him. Dekker just nodded. "Believe me; Urumasa predates your bedtime stories by some time. I was already a warrior long before your people were forging steel."

"So The Cursed Warrior...?"

"The Cursed Warrior has taken many forms over the centuries." The Spartan interrupted him. "What age are you boy?"

"I am 25 years old." Dekker answered him. The Cursed Warrior just nodded.

"I was your age when I took up Urumasa." He replied, tearing himself some meat and eating it. "Why did you seek me out?"

"It was the only way I could think of to gain honour in the eyes of my father." Dekker said honestly. "I want to bring the blade of The Cursed Warrior back to my house."

"You would have me as a trophy for your personal glory." The Cursed Warrior laughed. "We are not so different."

"Your father disapproved of you?" Dekker asked him. He shook his head.

"He did not live long enough to." He replied. "I was but a boy when King Leonidas led three hundred of his warriors to Thermopylae."

"I have heard of that battle." Dekker told him. "300 Spartans stood against over a million Persians. They fought so long and so hard, taking so many Persians to the afterlife that by the time it was over, King Xerses had no further will for battle."

"I was not part of that battle." The Cursed Warrior told him. "My father was. I did not have that opportunity. I sought out The Cursed Warrior for the same reason you have, to have my own moment of destiny."

"But...you are The Cursed Warrior." Dekker replied.

"I am the CURRENT Cursed Warrior." He clarified. "There have been many. The legend of Urumasa extends much further than you know. The pages of history are full of legendary warriors who were bearers of Urumasa."

He pulled his crimson cloak around himself, and rolled over, turning his back to Dekker, preparing to go to sleep. Dekker thought it was an odd conversation. He had only ever heard of "The Cursed Warrior", in the singular sense, though the way this man spoke of it, he made it sound like there had been more than one. Figuring that he would not get any more answers this night, he wrapped himself in a blanket and drifted off to sleep, resting up for the battle to come.

In the present day, back at the Shiba House, Emily and Kevin had returned after getting Emily's parents to a hospital. They had relayed the story to the others, explaining everything, from the attack on her parents, right down to the threat that Dekker had made against Serena and the kidnap. Mike just held his Girlfriend, feeling her shaking uncontrollably in his grip.

"Emily, I'm so sorry." Mia whispered, stroking her hair. "You must be going out of your mind. I don't know what I'd do."

"I know what I'm going to do." Jayden chipped in. Kevin and the others looked around each other. "We don't have a choice in the matter."

"You're going to face him?" Kevin asked. "Jayden!"

"You can't just give in to him like this!" Mia added. "We're all worried about Serena, about Emily but..."

"Can I interject a thought here?" Mike asked them, looking somewhat enraged. "It's about bloody time!"

"Mike!" Mentor Ji reprimanded him. "You're..."

"I'm absolutely right!" He snapped, getting up and confronting Mentor Ji and the Red Ranger. "Do you realise that ever since this sick freak showed up we've done nothing but sit around and try to figure out what he wants and who he is..."

"It's called strategy Mike!" Kevin replied sarcastically. "It's what you read about in all those Prima guides for your video games."

"Except in video games if you hang back too long and don't act, you just give the enemy the chance to strike first!" He roared back, losing patience with the whole scene, especially Kevin's dismissive remark about the video games. He knew he wasn't as up on the whole Samurai thing as him, and it felt like a low blow designed to dismiss a valid plan by reminding everyone of Mike's inexperience. "He's already kidnapped Emily; he kidnapped that Syke kid..."

"Spike." Mia corrected him.

"Whatever!" He ranted. "Now he's got Serena out there with none of the medical equipment she needs...what more does he have to do before you get off your ass and do something about him?"

"Mike!" Mia protested, getting up and getting in his face. Kevin did likewise, holding him back, separating him and Jayden, fearing that it was about to spill over into violence.

"You are so far out of line Mike!" Kevin snapped.

"Am I?" He asked incredulously. "Is he going to have to finally kill someone before you just grow a pair and do what needs to be done?"

Jayden looked away from him, his jaw clenching in anger. He didn't appreciate being spoken to like that. He could understand why Mike was so upset. Emily was distraught, that was clear, and they all knew how much he cared about her. There was another thing that bothered him about what Mike was saying.

"He's not going to stop, if anything he's just going to keep upping the stakes until he gets what he wants." Mike told him. "I say we put him down like Old Yeller."

"Mike..."

"He's right." Jayden sighed. Mentor Ji and the others all turned to stare at him in disbelief.

"Jayden..."

"All we've done is sit back here and let him have his way, picking people off one at a time while we try to delay the inevitable." Jayden replied. He looked to the scroll Emily had given him, issuing the challenge. "He asked for me at first light. I will go."

"Jayden, this is madness." Mentor Ji willed him. "The Cursed Warrior..."

"The Cursed Warrior cares only for our duel." Jayden replied. "Perhaps if I had simply given him his duel the last time we met, then Serena would be safe. I will not make that mistake again. At sunrise, one way or another, Dekker's dealt with."

Just then, they heard a roar of an engine outside, and the sound of a motorcycle leaving at great speed. They all looked around curiously.

"Um...Mentor, isn't that your bike?" Mike asked, remembering seeing him riding on occasion. Mentor Ji just nodded.

"I believe it is." He responded.

"Um guys, not to alarm anyone, but aren't we missing a Ranger?" Mia asked. The others all looked around, realising that she was right. Emily was nowhere in sight, she must have slipped out while they were arguing. Somewhere in the heated discussion, they had lost sight of her, and she managed to leave the room without them noticing.

"I'll give you three guesses where she's going." Mike commented as he felt his heart turn cold, realising what had happened.

"Why do I get a feeling I won't need two of those?" Mia replied as they ran through to the garage. Sure enough, the door was open, as was the gate at the end of the path, and Mentor Ji's motorcycle was gone.

"Come on, we have to..."

Jayden's words tailed off as he turned to the truck, and saw that all four tyres had been slashed. Emily must have done it on her way out to prevent the others from trying to stop her going after Dekker. Kevin just grabbed a jack and a wheel spider, preparing to replace the wheels. Emily already had a head start, they could only hope that they could catch up to her before it was too late.


	4. Emily's Fury

Emily blasted down the dirt track on Mentor Ji's motorcycle, heading towards the place Dekker had arranged to meet Jayden the following morning. She knew that her plan was risky, and she was sure that she would be in trouble once she got back...if she got back.

She hated to go against her friends like this, but with Serena involved, she couldn't sit back and wait. She knew that every minute she was out here, away from the medical supplies her body was all but reliant on, there would be no relief from her condition. Emily knew because of the letter that she possibly only had a few days left, but without the medication and the oxygen tanks, her time would be ticking away much more quickly. Indeed, it was possible...

She shook her head to clear her vision, unable to wipe her tears away because of the visor. She couldn't think like that. She was no good to Serena that way. She needed the strength of hope to carry out her objective. No, she had to keep telling herself that Serena was still alive, waiting on her to release her from Dekker's grasp. Serena had been saving Emily her whole life. She had confronted bullies who teased her, getting her out of lockers, removing chewing gum from her hair, soothing her when the bullying broke her down, all of it. Serena had been there for Emily, now that she needed Emily; she needed to at least try.

Over at Dekker's camp, Serena had resigned herself to her imprisonment. She wasn't bound or restrained in any way, but then that was because it was unnecessary. Her own body already trapped her, leaving her unable to escape this man. She had finished with her modest meal, and held out her cup, an act that was a struggle in and of itself, for Dekker to take.

"More?" He asked her. Serena just shook her head. She couldn't eat anymore. The illness took all the strength from her, even the strength to eat.

"You should rest." He told her. "It will be a while before sunrise. The Red Ranger will be here then."

"Please, just...stay and talk some more." She begged him.

"What would you like to talk about?" Dekker asked her. She thought about it for a moment. She didn't know why she wanted to keep him talking, keep him distracted. She supposed somewhere within herself she considered what she would be doing were she still a Samurai and she was trying to free a hostage. She supposed that night was the best time to approach unseen, and catch the captor off-guard. Then she could get between the captor and the hostage, taking them out of the equation. It was a vain hope, but she supposed it was possible they would try the same thing.

"You said you want to face a strong opponent." She reminded him. He just nodded.

"I can feel the strength of an opponent; it is just one of Urumasa's gifts." He told her with a smile. "It is how I know were it not for the illness in your chest that you would have been a challenge."

"How many have you killed?" She asked him. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I have been alive many centuries." He answered her honestly. "In all that time, I could not even hazard a guess as to how many have crossed blades with me."

"Who was the strongest opponent you faced?" She asked him. Dekker looked away as his mind drifted back.

He was still mortal then, and the rain pounded the side of the mountain, drenching both him and his opponent. It made the very terrain itself a weapon. The rocks and mud beneath their feet were slippery and would shift without warning, making balance and footing troublesome at best. The cold sapped the strength, and the rain lashing down reduced visibility. Still, Dekker had faced opponents in harsh conditions before, and The Cursed Warrior was not going to cry off on the battle because of a storm, so neither was he.

It took every ounce of training he had received in his whole life. From the relentless and merciless beatings he had received at the hands of his father and his brothers, to the practical training he had received in battles he had faced in his three-year search of The Cursed Warrior. Going to some towns, asking questions about The Cursed Warrior had caused tempers to flare, and more than once he had to defend his life against those who sought to sate misdirected anger at someone who dared to even mention the name. His technique had grown far beyond his family's style.

Both men were showing signs of injury and exhaustion. The battle had already lasted from when they woke until the sun had gone down, with both men refusing to give up. Blood stained Dekker's robes from a couple of superficial wounds to his chest, and his right arm was already weakening as a result of a deep wound. Only his will stopped it from simply falling at his side, leaving him to face his opponent, wielding his sword in only one hand.

Dekker backed off, and saw the faintest hint of a smile in his opponent's face through the small opening in his helm. It was a questionable move, since his spear gave him the advantage of reach.

The Cursed Warrior launched himself into the air, drawing back his spear for a powerful thrust. Dekker waited until the spear tip was almost upon him, before throwing himself aside. He whipped around, hooking the haft under his arm, and ripping it from his opponent's grasp, tossing it a few feet away.

The Cursed Warrior responded by slamming his shield into Dekker, stunning him and sending him into the cliff face, his vision blurred. It felt like he had been hit by a bull. The shield itself was solid bronze, and had to weigh almost a hundred pounds. Backed by his massive opponent's strength, he was certain that it was capable of breaking bones and shattering skulls all by itself. He had this confirmed as another blow from the shield struck him in the shoulder, sending him to the ground, finally crippling his wounded arm.

He looked around, clearing his vision as much as he could, seeing his opponent drawing a short sword from his belt. He held up his own, realising to his horror that it was little more than a hilt. Shards of the blade littered the ground. One of the blows from the shield must have shattered his sword, leaving him with only a jagged shard of it attached to the hilt.

"You have done well boy!" The Spartan roared. "It has been many years since I faced someone who gave me such a battle!"

As The Cursed Warrior rushed him, Dekker did something unexpected. Bracing himself against the rock face, he shoved off as hard as he could; driving what was left of his sword into The Cursed Warrior's right thigh. As he lost balance, Dekker grabbed the shield, and jammed the broken sword into his arm, before whipping off the shield and spinning around, smashing his opponent in the face, sending him to the ground.

He looked down and realised that there was a deep wound in his abdomen, and saw his opponent's sword was covered in blood. He recognised it as a mortal wound. He did not have long left, but in that time, he could achieve his goal, even if he would take his accomplishment into the next life.

The Cursed Warrior was already on his knees, and Dekker knew this would be his last chance. Seeing the spear, he picked it up, feeling it burning him painfully. Urumasa had one master, and would not simply allow anyone to wield it, but Dekker pushed through the pain, ignoring the burning flesh. He ran at the Warrior full-tilt, bellowing as he unleashed all his remaining strength into the thrust. The spear pierced the Spartan's breast plate, and went straight through, coming out the other side, completely skewering his heart. He dropped his sword, and looked down on Urumasa, taking off his helmet. He looked up to Dekker and smiled.

"Thank you." He whispered, before slumping lifelessly to the ground. Dekker followed him, the last of his strength failing him. He closed his eyes, preparing to welcome his end.

The following morning, he was surprised to awaken. His wounds were mortal, he knew that much. He should never have survived. As he sat up, he pulled aside his robes, and saw that his wounds had all healed. He hadn't a mark upon him. Indeed, if anything, he actually felt better now than he had before the battle. He had numerous lasting injuries from his many battles, but none of them seemed to bother him now.

As he stood up, for a moment he thought that perhaps this was the afterlife. His wounds were gone because he was no longer alive, but then he felt something inside him, heard a whisper within his head. He turned to what seemed to be the source of the voice. There, lying where The Cursed Warrior had fallen, where his body should have been, was a white and red handled nodachi, in a brilliant white scabbard.

Dekker picked it up, and felt an energy coursing through him, just knowing that the sword was his. The nodachi was a weapon that had fallen out of favour in many schools, but Dekker was very familiar with it, and had practiced it since his childhood. The handle was thirteen inches in length, and the blade around four feet. It was heavier than a katana, one of the reasons most preferred either the shorter blade of a katana, or the longer reach of a naginata, but the weight felt effortless to him, like it was made just for him. Pulling it out, he saw the blade was white on one side, with a red serrated edge on the other. He smiled as he remembered what The Cursed Warrior had told him.

"You are mine now Urumasa." He stated, replacing the sword in the scabbard, before strapping it across his back. He turned in a direction he never thought he would face again, and started down the mountain to head for home.

In the present, Dekker's thoughts were shaken from his recollections of the past as he heard something in the undergrowth. He whipped Urumasa from its scabbard, looking around. Before he knew what was happening, a massive cloud of dust came forth, blinding him and covering the area. By the time his vision cleared, The Yellow Ranger had burst from the tree line, setting upon him in a rage.

Kevin parked up the truck at a beauty spot a little way from where Dekker had told Jayden to meet him. Mentor Ji's motor cycle was there, so they knew they were on the right track. Like them, Emily had obviously parked some way from the camp so the engine noise wouldn't alert him to her arrival. The others all got out, their Samuraizers at the ready.

"Come on guys!" Jayden announced. "She's had a pretty big head start."

They all rushed through the woods, stumbling in places as haste caused them to concentrate more on the destination than the path ahead. The woods could be treacherous, with slippery leaves and exposed roots making footing difficult. As they got closer, they could hear the sounds of swords clashing. Dust flew through the air as they got closer.

"I think we can safely say that's Emily." Jayden commented. "Come on guys, she needs our help!"

Back at the site of the battle, Emily swung her Spin Sword wildly, smashing into Dekker's blade with every ounce of anger she could muster, interspersing her attacks with symbols cast from her Samuraizer. Dekker was pounded from pillar to post as the very ground he walked on became a weapon against him.

It took him a while to gain some respite as Emily rushed to Serena's side, standing between her and Dekker. Her muscles all tensed up as she faced him, a hatred she never knew she had in her came through. Serena could only look up at her sister wearily, unable to believe that this was her.

"You have done well girl." Dekker complimented her, hauling himself back to his feet. "However, it is not you I want."

"Well I don't care what you want!" She snapped back. "I'm all you're getting!"

He snatched up Urumasa into a guard, and adopted his Nighlock form, confronting her as she stood over her sister.

"I suppose I could use a warm up." He replied, renewing the attack. Emily fought hard, utilising all her aggression and skill, but in the end, it just wasn't enough to best him. Just as the battle seemed to be even, he disarmed her, before catching her with a huge slash, sending her to the ground unmorphed. He gripped his sword as he saw her on the ground, looking up at him with rage in her eyes. She struggled to get up, but he kicked her back down.

"Leave her alone!" Mike yelled as he cast forth a leaf storm, staggering and blinding him. A huge gust of wind blew him back further, almost to the edge of the cliff. Jayden hit him with an inferno blast, setting up a fire wall that separated Dekker from them, trapping him on the edge of the cliff.

"Get Serena and Emily..."

Before he could complete the command, Emily got up and used her Samuraizer go trace a glowing Kanji in the air. It was glowing more brightly than anyone could remember seeing before, and threatened to blind them. As she cast it forth, the earth cracked and shattered. The entire side of the cliff crumbled and fell, sending Dekker falling down, burying him beneath tons of rubble hundreds of feet below. Emily fell forward face first, being caught by Mia just as she was about to hit the ground. She turned her over, finding the Yellow Ranger unconscious.

"She's hardly breathing." Mia told them.

"She used a lot of symbol power." Jayden reminded her. "It'll have taken a lot out of her."

"Serena's really weak." Mike commented as Kevin used his symbol power to extinguish the flames. Kevin came over to help. His father had insisted that he take lifeguard training, meaning that he had some limited knowledge of first aid.

"She's finding it hard to breathe." Kevin told them. "Mike, take Emily back to the truck. Jayden, I brought one of the oxygen tanks in the trunk. I'll need it."

They nodded and both went to do what he asked. Mia looked to her boyfriend sadly.

"It's more serious than that isn't it?" She asked him. He just nodded. "Should we move her?"

"We have to." He told her. "We can't give her the treatment she needs here."

"But if she's so weak..." Her words tailed off as she saw Kevin pull out the Swordfish Disk. She looked to him, realising what he was thinking. The Swordfish Zord's cleansing power could heal the ill. It had saved them all when they were poisoned. She grabbed his hand.

"Kevin, you can't!" She told him.

"Why not?" He asked her. "We're meant to help people!"

"We're not allowed to use our power for personal gain!" She reminded him. "Mentor keeps telling us that. He warned us that it always backfires!"

"I'm willing to take that chance." He put down flatly. "She's almost gone as it is. How do you think Emily would feel if she didn't make it? At least until she can see her?"

Mia found it hard to argue. Mentor Ji had warned them numerous times about the possible consequences of abusing their powers for personal gain, but on principal, she agreed with Kevin. Emily was going to find Serena's death hard enough, the least she would want for her is to give her time to see her sister one last time before the end. Looking around to make sure the others weren't around, she just nodded.

"Do it." She told him. Kevin laid the Swordfish disk on Serena's chest, and pulling out his Samuraizer, he traced a symbol and cast it. He had only just put away the Swordfish disk when Jayden came back with the oxygen tank.

"I've hooked up the mask." Jayden told them as he arrived. Kevin lifted Serena up as Jayden put the mask on her. "Come on, we'll get her back to the Shiba House. We can figure out what to do from there."

As they carried her carefully through the woods, Mia just followed on. She understood why Kevin had done what he had, but she couldn't help thinking about the warning Mentor Ji had given them. She had to admit being worried about exactly what the possible consequences could be.

Back at the Shiba House, Mentor Ji had put Serena and Emily in the girls' room, and set up the couch for Mia to sleep on that night. Much like the others, he had only thought about Emily, and giving her time with her sister. The others had gone to bed, sleeping, but Mentor Ji was standing at the door to the girls' room, watching Emily sit by Serena's bed as she rested. Although she was still weak from using so much symbol power, she wanted to be there and talk with her sister. Jayden came up behind him, casting a little look her way.

"How's she holding up?" He asked his mentor.

"As well as can be expected." Mentor Ji answered in a sigh. "She is being very brave."

"Poor kid." Jayden answered sympathetically as they left, allowing her some privacy. "I can't help feeling sorry for her."

"It's understandable. You have suffered a loss too." Mentor Ji told him.

"I take it you're not going to make Emily pay for the tyres." He asked. Mentor Ji just shook his head.

"Under the circumstances, I do not think that would be appropriate." Mentor Ji stated as he poured himself some whisky. He looked to Jayden, lifting the bottle slightly. Jayden just nodded to accept the offer.

In the morning, Emily woke up, sitting next to Serena's bed. She had sat up with her, talking late into the night until they both fell asleep. As she got up though, she noticed that the bed was empty.

"Serena?" She asked, looking around. "Serena?"

She started to panic as thoughts ran through her head. She ran out into the Living Room, calling out frantically as she searched the house.

"Serena!" She called out. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Jayden standing there. "Jayden, I can't find Serena!"

"Emily..."

"She was right there in the bed!" She told him. "She was..."

"Emily..."

"But when I woke up..."

"Emily!" He yelled, grabbing her and shaking her to bring her to her senses. She could see a slightly serious look in his eyes. "There's something you should see."

He led her out to the training yard, where Mentor Ji was standing, watching the training area.

"But we need to find..."

Mentor Ji just stepped aside as a yell pierced the air and Mike flew through the air, landing on the decking right where he had been standing. She just looked to Mike, who groaned in pain, before looking to Mentor Ji and Jayden.

"What's going on?" She asked. Jayden grabbed her head and turned it so she was looking at the training mats.

There, she saw Serena with a bokken in her hands, putting Mia through her paces. Her jaw hung open in shock seeing her sister training like that. Before they knew what to say, Mia was on the floor, with Serena's bokken at her throat. Serena just smiled as she helped her up.

"Serena?" Emily asked her.

"Hey Emily." She greeted her little sister with a bright smile. Emily just looked to her in awe as she approached her. She prodded her with her finger to make sure this was real and not a dream.

"Stop it, I'm ticklish, you remember that." Serena giggled.

"But...you're ill." Emily said. Serena just laughed.

"Not anymore." She told her. "This morning I woke up and I felt as healthy as a horse!"

Emily just threw her arms around her sister, squeezing her tightly, frightened to let her go. As they hugged, Mia and Mike came to Mentor's side, rubbing their bruises.

"Jeez, no wonder Emily's always going on about how wonderful Serena is." Mia commented.

"Yeah what gives?" Mike asked. "Last night she was at deaths' door, and this morning she's kicking our asses."

"It is a miraculous recovery." Mentor Ji said a little sternly, flashing a judgemental glare at Kevin. "There is only one way that could have happened isn't there?"

"Mentor..."

"What's done is done." Mentor Ji told him. "I just hope that when the consequences come, we are prepared for them."

With that, he turned and went back inside, leaving Kevin with the others. Mike and Jayden looked at him as he shied away a little.

"I used the Swordfish Disk." He confirmed. "She was so weak, I didn't know if she'd make it back to the house. I had to."

"Well whatever you did worked well." Jayden sighed. "Of course, you know what that means. Big reward..."

"Big cost." He sighed. "I know..."

"No, you don't." Jayden replied. "I know why you did it, and for what it's worth, in your position I'd almost certainly have done the same thing, but the fact is this is strictly speaking an abuse of your powers."

"But he used the Swordfish to cure us of that poison." Mike reminded him.

"That was correcting a subversive attack. It was a legitimate use." Jayden stated. "Like it or not, Serena's illness was natural. As cold and cruel and unfair as it sounds, it was her time. By counteracting that, you've abused the Swordfish."

"Like I said, I'll face the consequences." Kevin assured him.

"It's not that simple." Jayden replied. "The consequences for abusing your power do not always come back directly on you. It could affect any of us, or the team as a whole."

"I...I...I didn't know." He stammered out, suddenly becoming aware of exactly how serious the situation was.

"For now, all we can do is be happy for Emily." Jayden told them. "We'll just have to deal with the consequences when they come."


	5. Karma's a Bitch

The Rangers were all assembled in the Living Room later in the day. They would have likely been training still, but Mentor Ji had insisted that before they go any further, they get a doctor to examine Serena. While she was healthy now, he wanted to know exactly how healthy. If her illness wasn't cured, but just in remission, then they needed to do know so that they could ensure her treatment. For the first time since she had seen Serena on her feet, Emily wasn't smiling.

Mike just watched her pacing back and forwards, anxiously awaiting word from the doctor. Just one of Mentor Ji's many contacts was a doctor. He needed to have Serena checked out for everyone's peace of mind, most of all Emily's, but at the same time he had to be confident that the doctor he used would be discrete. Mike finally stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Emily, would you calm down?" He begged her. "You're just getting worked up."

"He's been in there for ages." Emily stated. "There's something wrong isn't there?"

"He's just being thorough to make sure Emily, I'm sure of it." Mentor said soothingly, looking to his youngest Ranger. "We're just being cautious."

Just then, the doctor came out of the bedroom, putting the last of his equipment away. He took off his glasses and looked to Emily as she ran over to him.

"Is she...?"

"She's over 18, so I can't discuss her case with you." He said to her with a little smile. "Of course, you could ask her yourself."

"I told you I was fine." Serena said with a bright grin as she came out, hugging her sister. "My bloodwork shows no sign of the virus at all."

"That Swordfish of yours really is a miracle." The doctor stated. "I really wish we could use it on more of our patients..."

"You know we cannot..."

"Yeah, I know. I get it, trust me." The doctor replied, picking up his bag. "Well, I think I'll leave you all to it. Something tells me this young lady has a lot of catching up to do."

As he left, Emily finally let Serena go, grinning and bouncing with excitement. Her sister really was free of the illness that was going to take her life. Her beloved older sister was back.

"I've received word from your parents." Mentor Ji told them. "They're going to be in the hospital for a while, but they have neighbours watching the farm. They are perfectly happy for you to remain while they recover."

"That's amazing!" Emily shrieked, bouncing on the balls of her feet as her excitement overtook her. "There's so much I want to tell you. There's so much to catch up on!"

"There'll be plenty of time for that." Serena assured her as she put an arm around her. "Right now though, I think Mentor Ji would appreciate it if we got back to training. I think I've taken up enough of your time."

"Well, it is a nice day." Mentor Ji said a little cheerfully. "And since Serena's spent the last year and a half confined to her house..."

"The last couple of months of which I have been unable to leave my bed." Serena added.

"I think the last thing you'd want is to spend the day training." Mentor Ji concluded. "I'm sure you would much rather catch up at...shall we say...The Amusement Park?"

"That's a great idea!" Emily shrieked. "Come on Serena, there's so much to see."

"Well, I guess we can get back to training tomorrow." She commented, before looking to the others. "I take it we're all going?"

"Try and stop us." Mike added, coming in with the jackets and tossing Jayden his. "Rainbow Corners, here we come!"

Meanwhile, there was someone who was not having such a great time. Lying at the foot of a cliff, buried under several tons of rock, Dekker was only just regaining consciousness after his battle with the Rangers. Every inch of his body ached, and he was pinned down by the rocks. It would take him quite a while to regain his strength after that. Even Urumasa's power would return him to health quickly after that.

He flexed his fingers as he fumbled for the hilt of his sword, clutching for the blade that had guided his life for so long. As he reached for it, his mind drifted back.

He had been gone almost four years by the time he arrived back at the threshold of his household. He had been gone so long, and yet it seemed that very little had changed. It seemed like while he had grown and changed, this place was stuck in time.

He approached the front gates and kicked them open harshly, announcing his triumphant return. His brothers were in the training yard, practicing their form, but at the interruption, they all turned and stared at the intruder.

His cloak was wrapped around him, and his hood was up, concealing his face. A large, white nodachi was strapped to his back. As he strode into the yard, Yarrick, the eldest brother, strode forward.

"Who dares enter our grounds so?" He roared. "Remove your hood!"

Dekker stopped in his tracks and pulled down his hood. Yarrick scoffed as he saw him. His hair was longer, and he had thick stubble now, but he could still recognise the brother he treated with such contempt.

"So, you finally returned." He said dismissively. "I never thought you'd have the nerve after the way you left..."

"I have done that which none of you ever could." He interrupted Yarrick. "I will speak with our father."

"You dare to interrupt me?" Yarrick snapped.

"I will speak only to father." Dekker stated, taking a step forward. "I am here to present him with proof of my worth."

"Father is reading, he is not to be disturbed." Yarrick responded sharply. "If you have something to say, then you may say it to me."

"I have defeated The Cursed Warrior." Dekker stated proudly, causing his four brothers to look among themselves. He took Urumasa from his back, and held it for them to see. "This is the blade Urumasa. I have come to present it to father."

"The Cursed Warrior?" Yarrick laughed. The other three didn't know what to think and stood back, staying out of this. Yarrick just continued to laugh at him. "You expect us to believe in fairy tales?"

"I tire of this conversation." Dekker stated, stepping face to face with him. "You are beneath me Yarrick; I will pay you no further mind. My business is with our father."

He shoved his eldest brother aside and made his way towards the house. Yarrick's face flashed red in rage as he was dismissed like a common child. He was the heir to the family estate. He was the bearer of the family crest. He would not be ignored, especially not by Dekker. He levelled a bokken over Dekker's shoulder, at which he stopped. Dekker just looked to the wooden practice blade and turned towards him.

"I am the head of this house!" He roared. "I will not be disrespected by the likes of you!"

Dekker heard the whisper in his mind, the voice in his head talking to him.

"_This man would dare to challenge you." _Urumasa whispered. _"This man has disrespected you, humiliated you all of your life, you know you are better than him."_

He turned to face his brother, just smirking at him.

"You still believe me to be the boy you used to beat and bully." Dekker sneered. "Be sure you want to challenge me. It may be the last thing you ever do."

Yarrick prepared to strike him with the Bokken, but Dekker responded in a manner that astounded his brothers, drawing Urumasa and slicing the sword in half before kicking him back onto the mats. He stared up at Dekker in shock as he approached the mat, stepping onto it wielding his sword.

"_If he will not give you respect, then you must take it." _Urumasa whispered to him. _"He defeated you all those times. He is a challenge you must face. You know what you must do."_

"Let us not play child's games." Dekker snapped. "If you believe you are better than me, then let us face the test properly. Let us use steel."

Yarrick's face twisted in rage as he got back to his feet. He gestured to one of the other three brothers.

"Fetch my sword!" He ordered him. He was handed a katana, and drew it, beginning to circle his brother. "Let us see how your 'Urumasa' stands up to Stone Cutter!"

He lunged forward, and the blades clashed once, only once. Dekker's journey had expanded his skills far beyond his family's style, and his experience had made him deadly. As the blades rebounded off one another, he swung around, slicing through Yarrick's abdomen. He collapsed to his knees, dropping his sword as his hands strayed to his stomach, holding in his innards. He looked up to Dekker in horror, unable to believe that this was the brother that he had beaten and humiliated his whole life. Dekker reached for an amulet around Yarrick's neck, bearing the family crest, and yanked it off.

"This is mine now." He announced, before swinging Urumasa one more time, striking his head from his shoulders. His three brothers watched on in shock.

"_He was no challenge, the battle was too short."_ Urumasa said in disappointment. _"His blood is as worthless as he is."_

"Yarrick is dead!" One of the brothers shrieked, running over to the corpse and cradling it. He looked to Dekker in amazement. "You killed him!"

"_I hunger." _Urumasa told him. _"I hunger for more."_

Remembering the treatment he had received under his brothers, Dekker felt his rage building and he looked down on him.

"Pick it up." He told him, kicking Stone Cutter over to him. He looked to his other two brothers. "Fetch your weapons."

"You've gone mad!" One of them shrieked.

"You didn't seem to have the same trouble attacking me when you believed I was helpless." Dekker said bitterly. "Fetch your weapons. I will be waiting!"

Back in the present, he finally reached the hilt of Urumasa and snatched it into his hand. As the blade started to glow, he disappeared into one of the gaps in his rocky tomb.

Over at Rainbow Corners, the Rangers were taking Serena around the rides and attractions. Emily was having a great time, dragging Serena around by the arm, showing her everything that there was to see. Mike couldn't help smiling to see her so happy.

"Wait, you haven't seen..."

"Emily, calm down, I'm exhausted." Serena chuckled at her little sister as she gestured to some tables. "We've got all day, there's no need to see everything in an hour. Besides, I'm starting to get a little hungry."

"I could use something to eat." Jayden agreed. "You guys get a table. I'll check out the menu at the noodle shack."

They found a table, at which Emily sat between Mike and Serena, beaming brightly. She felt amazing to finally have her friends able to meet her and get to know the sister she cherished so dearly.

"Well I have to say, there's nothing like this in the country." Serena commented. "That Roller Coaster was a pretty wild ride."

"Yeah, personally I like the log flume." Kevin added. "It's a great way to cool off on a hot day. You get so wet; you basically stop caring about being wet.

"I figured you'd like getting wet." She giggled. Mia pulled in closer to him as she smiled at her.

"You know, Emily talks about home all the time." Mia told her. "I feel like I know you already.

"I'm sure we'll get plenty of time to get to know each other." She told her, before turning to Emily. "You know, spending all this time with all these cute guys, I just have to wonder..."

"Serena, you're embarrassing me." Emily whined. Mike just put his arm around her.

"So you're embarrassed now?" He asked her. "I would have thought..."

"Hey Mike, Kevin can you give me a hand?" Jayden called over. They got up and went over, leaving the girls alone. Kevin gave Mia a quick kiss on the cheek as he went.

"Mike seems pretty cute." Serena complimented Emily. "You've done well for yourself sis."

"She's been great." Mia added. "Sharing a room with her has been interesting to say the least."

"Let me guess, the early morning wake up calls?" Serena chuckled. "She always was a great alarm clock."

She looked around to where the guys were gathering up their food and smiled.

"So tell me, you're with Mike, and Kevin's with Mia right?" Serena asked.

"Yeah?" Emily asked her. "Why?"

"So does that mean Jayden's on the market?" She asked. "You've got to admit, he is pretty hot."

"Yeah, he is pretty good looking." Mia admitted, feeling a little embarrassed. While she was happy with Kevin, and loved him, it hadn't been that long ago she had embarrassed herself chasing after Jayden. "I'm pretty sure he's single."

"Hey Mia, we need a hand here!" Kevin yelled to his girlfriend. "These drink cups are huge!"

As Mia left, Serena couldn't keep her eyes off Jayden, who was busy gathering up containers of food.

"Maybe we should go on the log flume after lunch." Serena suggested with a little smirk. "I wouldn't mind getting to see him in a wet t-shirt. I suppose I'll have plenty of time to get to know him better."

"Are mom and dad going to be in the hospital for a while?" Emily asked her sister, noting her words. Serena looked to her with a smile.

"Hopefully not." Serena replied. "You might even want to start packing."

"Packing?" Emily asked, the smile slipping from her face as she heard this. She looked up to her sister completely stunned.

"Of course, you heard what Mentor said." Serena replied. "Once mom and dad get back from the hospital, you can go home."

Her shoulders slumped and her smile faded completely as the guys got back from the food stand. Mike sat next to her, putting a container down in front of her.

"I got you the prawn medley." He told his girlfriend, putting his arm around her. He noticed she wasn't listening. "Emily?"

"It's fine Mike." She responded quietly, forcing herself to smile. "Thanks."

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Sanzu River, Dekker appeared and submerged himself into the waters. Urumasa would heal him eventually, but he was keen to get back to health quickly, so keen, he was even willing to risk being discovered by Master Xandred to use the restorative properties of the river.

As he felt himself being healed, he closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to his youth.

His father was in his study, reading one of his many scrolls when the door was thrown open. He stood up, looking to the man standing in his doorway.

"Who are you?" He demanded angrily. "How dare you come into my home?"

"Do you not recognise your own son?" Dekker asked him as he stepped into the light, allowing his father to see him. "I have returned."

"You needn't have bothered." His father sneered. "There is nothing that can wipe away the shame..."

"I have the blade Urumasa." He told his father, showing him the sword. "I defeated The Cursed Warrior in a duel. I brought his sword as a trophy to honour..."

"You expect me to believe you could have defeated The Cursed Warrior?" His father scoffed at the assertion. "You were dead to me the day you fled this house with your tail between your legs!"

"_He disrespects you even now."_ Urumasa whispered to him.

"I speak the truth. I have ALWAYS spoken the truth!" Dekker roared. "I am not a liar!"

"You are a mistake!" His father shot back. "Were it not for the Saki, I would never have bedded that serving maid and you would not be here to infest my house!"

"_He blames you for your illegitimate birth?"_ Urumasa questioned him in his mind. _"He looks down on you for his own lack of control?"_ Dekker shook his head, trying to clear its voice from his head.

"I am not to blame for your indiscretion." Dekker answered coldly. "Like it or not, I am your son, and as deserving of recognition as any of your blood."

Dekker's father looked to the sword and spat on it. Dekker could feel a rage building in him that was far greater than he could ever muster on his own. Urumasa had been disrespected, and it demanded vengeance.

"Take that counterfeit sword and get out. Never darken our door again." He ordered his son. "You are dead to me."

"Then I share something in common with your other sons after all." Dekker replied. He threw the amulet bearing the family crest onto his father's desk. It was covered in blood. His father looked up to his son in panic as he realised what this meant.

"You killed them!" He screamed. Dekker just smiled and nodded.

"You always said I was beneath them." He responded. "You value your blood so much, let us see it spilled."

He allowed his father to pick up his sword and prepare for the battle. He was now an old man, and Dekker knew he would be no match for him any longer. He no longer held any fear of his father. There was no reverence. There was only disdain. He was no longer the head of the household, only an old man who no longer had anything to lose.

Moments later, Dekker was alone in the house, the servants having long since fled. Looking around at the house, the shrine to decadence, he realised that none of it meant anything. He had no need of fine robes, no use for money or art. All that mattered was finding the strongest warriors and proving his worth against them. As he stood outside, at the end of a trail of pitch he had run throughout the grounds and over the house, he set a torch to it, burning the legacy of his family to the ground as he walked away. His family legacy ended that night. From then on, he was Dekker. No more, no less.

Fin.

A/N: I know it SEEMS an odd place to end this story, but I wanted to bring Antonio into the continuity in his own dedicated story. Fear not though, the loose ends will continue into the next fic. Hope you enjoyed it.


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